בראשית, פרק כ״ז, פסוק מ״א

A deep, suppressed animosity takes root within Esau following the events of the blessings. This hatred is not a fleeting anger but a hidden, calculated enmity [אבן עזרא, רש״ר הירש]. Interestingly, this intense resentment does not stem from the loss of the birthright, which Esau had willingly sold, nor does it arise from the deception itself. Instead, it is driven entirely by the blessing Jacob received. Esau simply cannot tolerate the reality that his brother is destined to be his master, leaving him in a subservient role [ביאור יש״ר, הכתב והקבלה]. Conversely, another perspective suggests that Esau is actually motivated by his own blessing. Having been told that he will live by his sword, Esau relies on this statement as a guarantee that he possesses the power to successfully kill his brother [חזקוני].

Esau resolves to commit murder, making this firm decision entirely within himself. This quiet resolution highlights a broader spiritual concept: the wicked are completely controlled by their impulses and desires, whereas the righteous maintain control over their hearts [רבנו בחיי]. Since Esau keeps this plot hidden, the question arises as to how his mother, Rebecca, discovers it. The primary approach among commentators is that she either learns of it through prophecy and the Holy Spirit, or Esau mistakenly shares his secret with a confidant who then leaks the information to her [רמב״ן, אבן עזרא, שד״ל].

The most complex element of Esau's plan is his chosen timing. Rather than acting immediately, he decides to wait for the period of mourning for his father. Commentators offer several motives for this delay. On a basic level, despite his wickedness, Esau still respects his father and wishes to spare him the agony of witnessing his son's murder [רד״ק, רש״י, שטיינזלץ]. He also fears that if he acts while his father is still alive, Isaac might issue a severe curse, completely reversing the blessing Esau just received [רמב״ן, ביאור יש״ר]. From a strategic standpoint, Esau recognizes that Jacob will be isolated and vulnerable without a father to protect him [חזקוני].

Beyond physical isolation, Esau's delay involves a calculated spiritual strategy. Isaac had previously declared that Esau would only break free from Jacob's dominance when Jacob abandoned the teachings of the Torah. Knowing that a mourner is restricted from studying Torah during the seven days of mourning, Esau calculates that his father's death will strip Jacob of his spiritual protection, finally allowing Esau's sword to prevail [כלי יקר, שפתי כהן, פרדס יוסף].

In stark contrast to the idea of waiting, another interpretation suggests that Esau has no intention of delaying. Instead, his plan is to kill Jacob immediately, thereby bringing about the days of mourning for his father prematurely. In this scenario, the mourning he refers to is not for Isaac's death, but rather Isaac's mourning for his murdered son, Jacob [דעת זקנים, מלבי״ם].

Even as he plots this murder, Esau still thinks of Jacob as his brother. This detail reveals that despite his profound hatred, Esau continues to view Jacob as his equal in stature, driving his urgency to eliminate him before Jacob can establish his dominance [ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, Esau anticipates that killing his own brother in cold blood will inevitably cause him personal shock and sadness. He hopes that the overwhelming grief surrounding his father's eventual passing will serve to mask and comfort the emotional toll of committing such a crime [אלשיך].